Satisfying the Complaint of Those Who Say They Are Unable, and Have No Idea How, to Meditate and Reason with the Understanding

HEREIN lies the answer to a complaint very common with some, who make themselves miserable, saying that they have no ability nor any idea how to reason with themselves in prayer; no considerations occur to them whereby to enlarge and extend the points of meditation, but their thread comes to an end at once. No reason for them to afflict themselves on that account, for, as we have said, this business of prayer consists rather in desires and affections of the will than in reasonings and speculations of the understanding. Nay, the masters of spiritual life observe that it is necessary to take care not to let the meditation of the understanding run to excess, for that would much impede the motion and affection of the will, which is the main thing—and the impediment is greater, the more subtle and refined are the considerations on which one dwells. And naturally so, for in a reservoir containing only a certain measure of water, with many outlets, the more runs by one outlet, the less will run by another. Now the soul’s power is finite and limited; and the more is drained off by the outlet of the understanding, the less runs by that of the will. Thus we see by experience that, when the soul is full of devotional feeling, and then the understanding strays into some speculation or curiosity, the heart at once dries up and the devotion stops; the reservoir has been dried up by that other outlet of the understanding, and so the outlet of the will is dry.

So Gerson says that hence it comes that oftentimes and very often the unlearned are the more devout, and prayer goes better with them than the learned, because they are less run away with by the understanding; they do not occupy or distract themselves with speculations and curiosities, but proceed at once by plain and simple considerations to stimulate and move the will to affection: these humble and homely considerations have more effect on them than those high and dainty thoughts have on the others. We see this in that saintly cook of whom we spoke above (Treatise III, Chapter 8), who from the material fire that he dealt with took occasion to remember everlasting fire, and that so devoutly as to keep the gift of tears in the midst of his occupations.

And this is to be well taken notice of, that, provided the affection and desire be very high and very spiritual, it does not matter about the thought and consideration being lowly and common. We have many examples of this in Holy Writ, where the Holy Ghost conveys to us very high and lofty matter in the guise of very plain and common comparisons. On the text: Who will give me the wings of a dove, that I may fly and rest? (Psalm liv. 7), St. Ambrose asks why the prophet, desiring to fly and mount on high, asks for the wings of a dove and not of other birds, since there are many better flyers than the dove. He answers it is because this prophet knew very well that the wings of a dove are better apt to fly high in perfection, sustain a good flight in prayer; that is to say, the simple of heart pray better than people of acute and subtle understanding; as the text has it: His dealing is with the simple (Prov. iii. 32). God communicates Himself to the simple and humble of heart.

Hence there is no reason why a person should be sad or torment himself because he cannot reason or find considerations wherewith to enlarge upon the points of the meditation. Nay, they tell us, and very reasonably, that they are better off to whom God closes the vein of soaring speculation and opens the vein of affection, in order that, with the understanding tranquilized and quiet, the will may repose in God alone, occupying herself wholly in loving and delighting in the Sovereign Good. If God does you the favor that, from some plain and simple consideration, as that God became man, that He was born in a stable, that He laid Himself on the Cross for you, you are inflamed with the love of God and with desire to be humbled and mortified for that love, and you keep to that for the whole hour and many hours, that is a more precious prayer than if you attained to many reasonings and many high and dainty reflections, because you have been occupied in the better and more substantial part of prayer, and that which is the end and fruit of it all. Hence will be understood the mistake of those who, when no reflections occur on which they can rest, think they are not making a good prayer, and that they are making a good prayer when many such reflections occur.

In the chronicles of St. Francis it is related that, one day, holy Brother Giles said to St. Bonaventure, who was Minister General of the order: “Many thanks to the Lord do you doctors owe, that you can serve and praise Him; but we ignorant and unlettered people who have no competence, what can we do to please God?” St. Bonaventure answered: “If our Lord gave no other grace to a man but that of being able to love Him, that would be enough for him to do God greater services than all other graces put together.” Brother Giles said: ‘And can an unlettered man love our Lord Jesus Christ as much as a doctor?” ‘One little simple old woman,” said St. Bonaventure, “can love our Lord more than a master in theology.” Brother Giles at once got up in a great heat and betook himself to the part of the garden that was nearest to the city, and there with loud cries called out: “Poor little old woman, unlettered and simple, only love our Lord Jesus Christ and you may be greater than Brother Bonaventura!” Thereupon he fell into ecstasy, as was his wont, and remained rooted to the spot for three hours.